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Merseyrail driver-only trains: RMT sets guards decision deadline

January 11, 2017

A train operator has two weeks to give “cast-iron” assurances that guards will be retained or risk dispute, rail union RMT has said. Merseyrail plans to introduce a new fleet of 52 driver-only-operated (DOO) trains in Merseyside from 2020. RMT’s announcement over fears for jobs and safety comes amid the latest strike by train drivers for Southern, over the issue of DOO trains. Merseyrail said the new trains would be safer and there would be staff onboard. None of today’s permanent guards or guard managers would be forced to leave Merseyrail’s employment, the company added. The union’s general secretary Mick Cash said its position on DOO “is perfectly clear… we will not agree to any extensions of DOO and will fight to retain the safety critical role of the guard and to keep a guard on the train”. RMT have set a 26 January deadline for assurances about the role of the guards. It has given the same deadline to Arriva Rail North, which trades as Northern. It fears job cuts and has raised safety concerns, arguing that trains would be less safe because drivers would not be able to see all the passengers while they are boarding and could not provide security during journeys. Merseyrail has estimated 220 guard and management posts will go but said there would be no compulsory redundancies. Image copyright @BeccaBoo_88 Image caption Commuters have suffered amid the long-running Southern strike Mr Cash said Merseyrail had failed to provide the union with assurances that “new…more detail

MARNIE Simpson has kicked off round two in her feud with Stephanie Davis by slamming the name of her new born son. Steph, 23, has named her child Caben-Albi, however 25-year-old Marnie reckons that both names together is “too much” – and she doesn’t mind saying so. Getty Images - WireImage 3 Marnie Simpson has mocked Stephanie Davis’s baby name The Geordie Shore star wrote in her Star magazine column: “I’m not a huge fan of Stephanie Davis’s choice of baby name, Caben-Albi. “There’s too much going on and it’s not my cup of tea. She should have chosen just…... [read more]

MARNIE Simpson has kicked off round two in her feud with Stephanie Davis by slamming the name of her new born son. Steph, 23, has named her child Caben-Albi, however 25-year-old Marnie reckons that both names together is “too much” – and she doesn’t mind saying so. Getty Images - WireImage 3 Marnie Simpson has mocked Stephanie Davis’s baby name The Geordie Shore star wrote in her Star magazine column: “I’m not a huge fan of Stephanie Davis’s choice of baby name, Caben-Albi. “There’s too much going on and it’s not my cup of tea. She should have chosen just…... [read more]

By Jane Wardell and Roberta Rampton SYDNEY/WASHINGTON, Feb 2 (Reuters) - U.S. ties with staunch ally Australia became strained on Thursday after details about an acrimonious phone call between its leaders emerged and U.S. President Donald Trump said a deal between the two nations on refugee resettlement was "dumb." During a 25-minute phone call last Saturday with Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, Trump accused Australia of trying to export the "next Boston bombers" under the agreement, the Washington Post reported. The Post, which cited unidentified senior U.S. officials, said that Trump abruptly ended the call and told Turnbull that it…... [read more]

Rafa Benitez admitted he had been left surprised and disappointed that Newcastle did not strengthen their squad in the January transfer window and claimed he did not know why they had failed to land the England winger Andros Townsend. Benitez had wanted to add two new players to his squad to further the push for an immediate return to the Premier League, and felt confident the club would do that having made a profit of £30 million in the summer transfer window of 2016. However, the failure to land Townsend and a dominant midfielder left the Spaniard frustrated and confused.…... [read more]

Rafa Benitez has admitted he is surprised and “disappointed” that Newcastle failed to sign anyone in January. The Newcastle boss suffered double frustration as Ciaran Clark's 90minute own goal denied United victory and top spot. The late blow came 24 hours after Benitez was left fuming by Newcastle's failure to add to his promotion-chasing squad. The Ireland defender flicked a header backwards over Karl Darlow to seal a bad few days for Benitez. Matt Ritchie's 11 of the season should have been the winner, with great chances missed by Ayoze Perez and Yoan Gouffran. Benitez suffered a series of transfer…... [read more]

New evidence has left Lord Coe open to accusations he misled MPs as to when he first knew about corruption at the summit of world athletics. Emails provided to a parliamentary select committee by Coe and published on Tuesday show the double Olympic champion referencing 'serious allegations' regarding the blackmail of Russian athlete Liliya Shobukhova on August 14, 2014. Yet Coe, president of athletics' world governing body the IAAF, told the same committee in December 2015 that he was 'certainly not aware of the specific allegations that have been made around the corruption of anti-doping processes in Russia' until a…... [read more]

STEPHANIE Davis has hit back at Marnie Simpson over the Geordie Shore star’s comment that Scotty T could be the father of Steph’s newborn son, Caben-Albi. The new mother expressed her disappointment at the fact former Celebrity Big Brother housemate Marnie felt the need to suggest Jeremy McConnell might not be the father of Stephanie’s son. Instagram 6 Stephanie Davis has hit back at Marnie Simpson for claiming Scotty T could be the father of Steph’s newborn son, Caben-Albi Stephanie explained to OK! Magazine: “Marnie has said some nice things about me in the past, so I was surprised and…... [read more]

Lord Coe appears to have performed an about-turn and agreed to face further questions from MPs over exactly what he knew about corruption in world athletics. A statement issued last week by Coe's spokesperson suggested he was not prepared to reappear before the Department of Culture, Media and Sport select committee. Evidence given by David Bedford had highlighted what MPs believe is at least one 'discrepancy' in statements made by Coe to the committee in 2015. The MPs concluded the IAAF president was using his right as a member of the House of Lords to decline their request for a…... [read more]

Please help me get an explanation for the non-delivery of a Christmas bouquet from Debenhams Flowers. I am on a mailing list and there was a half-price offer (£25 rather than £50), so I bought a festive centrepiece. On 25 November I placed the order, which was to be delivered two days before Christmas. I received an email saying it had been despatched, including a link to delivery company DX, but the flowers did not arrive. I contacted DX, which eventually said it had had an electronic notification, but no flowers. Debenhams Flowers does not operate at weekends so there…... [read more]

Lord Coe has received a written request from MPs to release an email exchange that could yet prove that he did read the explosive corruption allegations sent to him by David Bedford. Damian Collins MP, chairman of the select committee Bedford appeared before earlier this week, has accused Coe of reneging on an agreement to provide further evidence to the Westminster inquiry into doping in sport. Coe's position as the president of the IAAF is under fresh scrutiny after he declined a request on Tuesday to reappear before MPs. Lord Coe has previously given evidence to MPs but has yet…... [read more]